In my household, there are two telltale signs that spring is here. The most obvious is when I haven’t worn jeans for the last 20 days straight: instead I’ve broken the streak with a dress here and a skirt there when it’s been warm enough to do so. The other is when I’ve had my first pedicure of the season—that’s when you know the socks are coming off and my boots are poised to be packed away. With my toes newly primed and painted, my outfits (and my feet) are officially ready for spring. And right now, I’m most looking forward to start wearing all of the spring shoe trends that are cropping up.
Done with wearing my aforementioned boots, I’m ready to embrace spring shoes in all their glory, and this year there are plenty of pretty and chic styles to choose from. While there are shoes types that will always make a comeback at this time of year, I’ve honed my efforts into uncovering the biggest spring shoe trends of 2024 in particular.
From fresh fabrications that go beyond leather and suede to new silhouettes and colours, spanning everything from high heels to trainers, below are what I believe to be the 7 most important spring shoe trends I’ve seen. Scroll on to see them.
7 SPRING SHOE TRENDS I’M SPOTTING EVERYWHERE RIGHT NOW
1. SHINY SATIN
With the lessened need for hardy shoes, spring is the season where we begin to see more delicate fabrications come to the fore. While you won’t want to wear these in a downpour, there’s no denying that the recent influx of satin shoes on the market is one of the prettiest shoe trends of the year.
From Prada’s cult satin mules to trading in your leather ballet flats for something shiny, there are lots of ways to channel the trend. Below are a few of my favourites.
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Jeffrey Campbell
Aurora Flats
2. CLOSED-TOE SLINGBACKS
I may have my pedi at the ready but spring still has the occasional chill days where having your toes exposed is ill-advised. So, what’s a fashion person to do? Enter the closed-toe mule.
The shoe equivalent to business in the front and party in the back, a closed-toe mule provides your feet protection from the elements to the front, but harbours all of the appeal of a sandal to the back. I wear mine on evenings out when I want to look polished but also not risk frostbite.
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GIANVITO ROSSI
45 Embellished Suede Mules
Reformation
Waldorf Kitten Heeled Mule
Mango
Metallic Heeled Shoe with Buckle
3. RAINBOW TRAINERS
I’ll cut to the chase—everyone’s trainer mad this spring! While I still see a lot of Adidas Sambas in white and black, the style I’m seeing most of now is brightly coloured trainers.
Adidas has spearheaded the colourful trainer trend this season but lots of other brands are getting in on the action, too. Whether you choose vibrant green or red, or opt for something pastel, bright is the way to go. Look for suede styles that add a softer, more expensive-looking finish.
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ADIDAS ORIGINALS
Sl 72 Leather-Trimmed Suede and Nylon Sneakers
NIKE
Cortez Suede and Leather-Trimmed Shell Sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS
Handball Spezial Leather-Trimmed Suede Sneakers
4. MARY JANES
Beloved by both French and Brit women alike, mary janes are enjoying levels of popularity this spring that have never before been seen. Instantly elegant, whether worn with jeans or dresses, this is a shoe you can rely on when you want to look polished.
Just as versatile as any other flat shoes, the different with mary janes is that even more statement colours and prints still look elegant where they might not otherwise on other shoe styles. On cooler days, try styling yours with a fresh pair of white cotton socks.
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ALOHAS
Luke Patent Leather Ballet Flats
GIANVITO ROSSI
Carla Leopard-Print Suede Mary Jane Ballet Flats
M&S Collection
Buckle Flat Square Toe Ballet Pumps
5. MESH FABRICATIONS
It started with Alaïa. The French fashion house’s mesh ballerina pumps gained major traction at the tail end of last summer, just before everyone switched back into boot mode. Now, on the cusp of pleasant weather, fashion people are dusting off their Alaïas once more, whilst other brands have begun serving up their own mesh footwear.
Whether you choose a chunkier fishnet or a smaller mesh weave, mark my words: this is a textile that’s only going to grow in significance as we head into summer.
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Alaïa
Fishnet Ballet Flats
& Other Stories
Leather-Trimmed Mesh Ballet Flats
mango
Ballerinas with Mesh Bracelet
6. OPTIC WHITE
I used to think white shoes looked cheap. However, thanks to a host of more refined shoe silhouettes and styles, white shoes are now one of the most popular footwear trends of the season.
(Image credit: @elizagracehuber)
From classy mid-heel courts to simple flats and everything in between, the chicest ways I’ve seen white shoes styled this spring involve fluid, wide-leg trousers or pooling skirts.
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AMINA MUADDI
Lupita Leather Wedge Mules
COS
Crossover Ballet Flats
STAUD
Alba Leather Ballet Flats
7. THONG SANDALS
(Image credit: @monikh)
This might be a trend that you want to hold off on wearing immediately but, make no mistake, on the warmest spring days I guarantee everyone will be out in their thong sandals.
Monikh Dale has already been wearing her The Row pair around the house, while Brittany Bathgate wore hers out and about in London to give her suiting a relaxed finish. I’ll be putting my pedicure to good use very soon, this I know.
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THE ROW
Ginza Leather Platform Flip Flops
Jeffrey Campbell
Flying Private Flip Flops
Charles & Keith
V-Strap Thong Sandals
